By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Forrest City head Coach Dwight Lofton wanted Little Rock Central to bring it all to the court Tuesday for the Mustangs season-opening game.
They did and the Mustangs simply refused to quit, taking the best shots the Tigers had to give.
But it was Forrest City's last-second shot that fell short as Central held on to hold off the Mustangs 63-61 at Central.
It was the first meeting between the two schools since the Tigers clipped Forrest City 59-57 in the first-round of the Class AAAAA state tournament in March 2000 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.
Central and Forrest City played nonconference games during the 1997-98 season with the Tigers winning 97-76 and again in the 98-99 season with the Tigers to a 104-46 win with a team that featured former Arkansas Razorback and current NBA star Joe Johnson.
"It was a game of runs," said Lofton. "We made the final run we just couldn't get the final shot to fall."
Central appeared on its way to an easy victory over the Mustangs after taking a 26-11 lead in the first quarter.
Forrest City rallied taking advantage of several fast-break baskets triggered by their defense, and were within nine points at half, trailing 36-27.
Senior Lorenzo Spearmon helped key the first half rally with eight points.
Central point guard Trai Givens paced Central with nine points in the first half.
"We've seen the best in Givens," Lofton added. "If there is a better point guard in the state, I'd like to see him."
Lofton used five different Mustangs to defend Givens.
"He's a veteran and has started for three years," Lofton added.
Forrest City took the lead, 44-41 in the third quarter with two quick baskets by senior guard Taurus Moore.
The Tigers struck for 12 points over the final 1:30 of the third quarter, sparked by Bernard Irby's back-to-back three-point baskets to retake the lead at 53-44.
The Mustangs cut the lead to 62-61 when 6-7 senior center deangelo "Buck" Braddock grabbed an offensive rebound and got the putback.
Givens hit a free throw with 24 seconds left to make it a two-point Tiger lead at 63-61 and Forrest City's final shot rimmed out at the buzzer.
Givens paced the Tigers with 16 points. Irby added 15 and Tyler Carillon scored 10 and had six rebounds.
Spearmon and senior forward Maurice Lowe led the Mustangs with 11 points each. Braddock added nine points and 10 rebounds.
The Mustangs struggled from the free throw line, hitting only 11-of-27 of their chances. central drained nine threes while Forrest City failed to hit from beyond the arc.
The rematch will be played Dec. 2 at Mustang Arena.
The Mustangs will host Marianna Friday night at Mustang Arena and will open play at the seventh annual Rumble on the Ridge Thanksgiving Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 27, when they take on Provine, Miss., at 6:30 p.m.
In other high school games played Tuesday, El Dorado held off Little Rock McClellan 63-61 getting 20 points from Anthony Brock
McClellan led 20-11 after one quarter and 37-28 at the half, but were outscored 15-8 in the third quarter.
Semeoen Norman paced McClellan with 16 points, while Andrew McDaniel added 14 points.
*The Jacksonville Red Devils trailed Pulaski Robinson 34-32 at the half but overcame that deficit by turning back the senators 71-62 in the season-opening game for both teams.
Mike Smith and Lavar Neely each scored 18 points for Jacksonville, and point guard Richard Johnson added 10.
The Forrest City Lady Mustangs will return to the Heavenly Hoopfest Tournament today at Mount Saint Mary's to take on Russellville in a second-round game.
Tip off is set for 5:30 p.m.
The Lady Mustangs (0-1) lost to Mount Saint Mary's on the tournament's first day Monday and Russellville lost to El Dorado.
The tournament is a three-game guarantee and the consolation and championship rounds will be played Saturday.
A Forrest City victory over Russellville today would put the Lady Mustangs in the fifth-place game Saturday at 3 p.m. against either Jacksonville or North Pulaski
The Lady Mustangs junior varsity squad will play Marianna Friday night at Mustang Arena.
In other high school girls' games played Tuesday, Jacksonville defeated Pulaski Robinson 51-48 getting 14 points from Holly Kirby and 10 points each from Jalecia Batemon and Becky Townsend.
The Lady Red Devils are 1-1 for the year.
By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Exactly one week from today, the eight high school boys basketball teams making up this year's Forrest City Grocery/Rumble on the Ridge tournament field will arrive.
The teams will gather for the traditional pre-tournament banquet to be held at the Forrest City Civic Center.
Following the meal, the teams will move to Mustang Arena for the three-point and slam-dunk competition.
Admission is a canned food item or a donation to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
For two of the eight teams, the trip to Forrest City has a special meaning.
John Carroll from Birmingham, Ala. and Hoover, Ala. will be making the trip to Arkansas together.
The two teams will share the expense of chartering a bus as well as splitting the cost of the hotel rooms for the weekend stay.
For Hoover, it is the second appearance in the Rumble tournament.
The Buccaneers played in the second tournament (1998) and reached the championship game, losing 62-43 to Grissom, another Alabama representative.
Hoover has a new head coach this time around, former Auburn standout Lance Weems, who just happens to be a very good friend with John Carroll head coach Marty Smith.
It is the first appearance for John Carroll, ranked 50th nationally and owners of Alabama's 6A state title.
The Cavs went 36-0 a year ago to win the championship.
While the four-hour bus ride to Forrest City will provide an opportunity for players on both teams to establish friendships, that could all change once the two teams hit the Mustang Arena floor.
John Carroll is in the top half of the tournament bracket while Hoover is in the bottom half.
The two teams could meet in the finals, should both earn their way to Saturday's championship game and the two could meet in any one of the three consolation games.
The two teams are certainly no strangers to each other on the floor. John Carroll faced and defeated Hoover three times a year ago on the way to the 36-game winning streak.
John Carroll is led by 6-3 senior guard Ronald Steele who just signed with Alabama and 6-7 senior forward DeMarre Carroll, who has signed with Vanderbilt.
Trey Hampton, a 6-7 junior forward and Cornelius Williams, a 6-1 sophomore guard lead Hoover this season.
The rest of this year's Rumble on the Ridge field includes the host team Forrest City Mustangs, the West Memphis Blue Devils, making their second appearance in the tournament; Bradley Central Catholic from Cleveland, Tenn.; Denham Springs, La.; Provine, Miss. and Pulaski Academy from Little Rock.
Thirteen Annie Camp players scored as the host Whirlwinds rolled past Mountain Home 63-21 Tuesday in the opening round of the Regions Bank Classic junior boys' basketball tournament.
Annie Camp (1-0) will meet Greene County Tech in Thursday's 7:40 p.m. championship at Annie Camp gym. GCT advanced with a 60-34 win over Blytheville.
Blytheville and Mountain Home will play in the third-place game at 6:20 Thursday.
Michael Lee and LaDustin Williams each led a balanced Annie Camp attack with nine points each, while Murray Benton added seven.
Skyler Bowlin had a game-high 19 points for Tech.
The Widener Wildcats team sponsored by Terry Burgess recently placed first in the Fall Basketball 5 on 5 Jam Tournament held at Mustang Arena and sponsored by Lincoln Middle School and Wal-Mart Supercenter. The tournament raised more than $5,000 for Lincoln Middle School projects.
The Ruff Riders team sponsored by Fred Carter finished in second place in the Fall Basketball Jam 5 on 5 tournament. Anthony Williams of the Widener Wildcats was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.